Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, predicted Tuesday that Democrats would significantly increase the number of governorships they control after the November elections.

There are currently 21 Democratic governors, and 36 states will hold gubernatorial elections in 2014. Nearly all of these contests involve races in which governors were last elected in 2010. That cycle saw a Republican landslide, with the GOP gaining six statehouse seats.

Speaking to reporters at an event sponsored by the group Third Way, Shumlin grouped Democratic gubernatorial prospects into three tiers.

Shumlin said voters would punish Republican governors for what he called agendas that favor the wealthy and cater to the right wing of the party.

“It’s a problem for America when any extreme becomes the controlling faction in any political party,” branding this as the current state of affairs for the Republicans while acknowledging that it has been a problem as well for Democrats in past elections.

RGA spokesman Jon Thompson noted that Shumlin did not mention states such as Nevada and New Mexico, which Barack Obama won twice, or Texas, where Wendy Davis is waging a highly publicized but long shot bid.

“As election day draws closer, look for Shumlin and the DGA to throw more of their candidates overboard,” Thompson said in a statement that argued Republican governor are actually cutting taxes and government spending and reforming education.

Shumlin has served as chair of the Democratic Governors Association since December 2012. He was first elected as Vermont’s governor in 2010 and was reelected by a large margin in 2012.